Committee of the Whole backs drafting ordinances for tasting-room/auction concept at 935 Lakeview Parkway

Vernon Hills

The Committee of the Whole on March 31 directed staff to prepare ordinances to implement a zoning text amendment, a special use, and a liquor-code amendment for a proposed interior tasting-room/auction business identified in the transcript as "Agent and Oak" at 935 Lakeview Parkway (suite 111).

Director Jennings summarized the Planning & Zoning Commission's recommendation: approval of the zoning text amendment and the special use, subject to several conditions. The conditions listed in the staff memo and repeated in committee include constructing a garbage corral to code in the southeast parking area, repairing, seal-coating and restriping the southeast parking lot in accordance with the Illinois accessibility code within six months of occupancy, performing a photometric (lighting) study and adjusting the floor plan so the north entrance functions as the primary customer entrance and the overhead door is removed.

Business representatives — Doug Pantley, Justin Paley and James Hall — introduced the concept and said the operation would host weekly and monthly auctions, maintain an on-site tasting bar and sell packaged product on-site. Owner/representative Gary Kaplan said the property is owned by an entity identified in the hearing as NRF Vernon Hills LLC.

Trustees questioned signage, parking demand during tasting events, restroom access, and whether covenants restrict signage; staff said there are shared directory monument signs for the development and that the owners could apply for a sign permit. On parking, the owners said large parking demand would be occasional (primarily for evening tasting or pairing events) and that they planned modest initial auction sizes with growth over time. In the transcript one representative projected "upwards of 5 to 6,000 bottles a week" as a long-term target but said the first auctions would be much smaller; the finance director said sales-tax treatment for online auctions and out-of-state purchases depends on where the product is consumed and that staff would follow up with more detail.

Jennings and staff also explained that the Illinois state auction license is event-by-event and that the village license language requires compliance with state licensing; staff said it will work with the state inspector and the police on spot checks and enforcement. The police chief said Vernon Hills conducts BASSET (certified server) compliance checks both announced and unannounced and the business confirmed staff will be BASSET-trained and perform ID checks.

When asked for direction the committee signaled consensus to have staff prepare the required zoning and liquor-code ordinances consistent with the staff memo; no final ordinance vote was taken at the meeting.

Why it matters

The proposal would create a new local liquor-license class for tasting rooms and could affect parking, traffic, neighborhood signage and sales-tax allocation depending on the scale of online auctions and shipments. The board attached several site and operational conditions through the planning recommendation and will review formal ordinances and any required permits in future meetings.

What's next

Staff will draft ordinances for the zoning code amendment, special use, and liquor-code amendment and return them for formal consideration; staff and the finance director will also clarify sales-tax treatment for online and out-of-state transactions.